Rotture and Branx Have Closed, Will Now Be Known As Euphoria Nightclub

The new venue will focus on electronic dance music and LGBTQ events.

Rotture and Branx, the conjoined industrial Southeast music venues, both closed abruptly last week. Don't worry, though, the building is not turning into condos or another high-end brunch spot. Beginning July 24, the complex at 315 SE 3rd Ave.—which has changed names multiple times since the late '70s—will relaunch as a "queer-centric" electronic dance club and revert back to its original name, Euphoria.

Owner Mike Wolfson will remain involved, partnering with Samuel Thomas, curator of the Portland Queer Music Festival and former operations manager at Rotture-Branx. 

"I guess I've always secretly wanted to take over Rotture since it was Meow Meow," says Thomas, referring to its previous incarnation, which hosted the first-ever PDX Pop Now in 2004. "But the actual planning has only been this year.

In 2012, Thomas attempted to convert the Ella Street Social Club in Goose Hollow into a similarly styled club, but lost the space when investors purchased the building.

Thomas says the space occupied by Rotture will feature dance nights, drag shows and other LGBTQ-related events seven nights a week, with the former Branx room becoming a rental hall. The building will also receive an aesthetic makeover, "bringing a cleaned up and more focused look to the space, that will hopefully throw people back to the height of the club scene in the late '70s and early '80s."

The opening night party on July 24 will feature appearances by RuPaul's Drag Race contestants Willam Belli and Manila Luzon. 

WWeek 2015

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